A 22-year-old Russellville man allegedly confessed to police Aug. 1 of committing first-degree felony battery on a 2-year-old boy, according to a report, and was arrested after an extensive search of the area by law enforcement.

A representative of the Department of Human Services responded to the Dardanelle Hospital on March 14 in reference to a report of child abuse and photographed the victim. Injuries indicated in the report included burns on both the left and right inner thigh areas, bruising around both eyes, a broken blood vessel in the left eye, a bruise behind the left ear and several bruises on the back.

Interviews were conducted with the victim's mother, live-in boyfriend and several other family members who did not live at the Russellville residence. The DHS representative concluded her investigation and submitted it to the prosecuting attorney's office, who contacted Russellville detectives to conduct an investigation.

A report indicated the suspect was interviewed by CID officers and allegedly confessed to causing the injuries to the victim. He was placed into custody last week and detained at the detention center. Bond was set during a hearing at $10,000.

Criminal mischief

Russellville police were dispatched to Hickey Park in reference to criminal mischief Monday, a report indicated.

According to the complainant, unknown subject or subjects had spray-painted several obscene messages on the building by the swimming pool and on the bathrooms building by the tennis court. The man advised it probably took place sometime after 7 p.m. Sunday and before 7:30 a.m. Monday. Damage was estimated at $1,500.

n DOVER -- A man told Pope County Sheriff's Deputy Bill McGlothlin on Friday that sometime within the last few weeks a unknown suspect or suspects entered his hay barn around the 8000 block of Highway 7 North and attempted to burn it down.

A report indicated the complainant stated the suspect or suspects took a can of starting fluid and sprayed it on some loose dry hay on the floor of the structure and set it on fire. There was approximately a 10-foot diameter area where the loose hay had burned, but the fire extinguished itself, according to the report.

Battery via baseball bats

ATKINS -- Deputies McGlothlin and Chad Maness responded to a Crow Mountain address Sunday in reference to two men involved in an altercation, one allegedly using two baseball bats.

According to a report, Maness had to separate both parties -- a 35-year-old Atkins man and 29-year-old Russellville man -- upon arrival. The Atkins man had allegedly been drinking and was allegedly armed with two baseball bats. The first subject exited his vehicle holding the bats and yelling at the second man. Neither individual wanted to press charges on the other.

Pope County EMS was dispatched to the scene, but the 35-year-old refused treatment or transport. McGlothlin was later dispatched to a local hospital emergency room where the subject was being treated for injuries he received in the altercation. The man stated he did exit his vehicle with two baseball bats in his hands, but had no intentions of using them as a weapon if an altercation occurred. The complainant stated the other subject ran at him and tackled him in the middle of the county road for no reason.

The complainant advised after a brief physical altercation, the suspect took the baseball bats from the complainant, who stated he then entered the suspect's property to retrieve a horse trailer that belonged to him when he was allegedly struck in the back of the legs and knocked him to the ground.

The complainant advised he was struck in the back of the head, back and left arm, and when he tried to get off the ground, the suspect allegedly struck him again in the back and left arm with the baseball bat. At the time of the initial call to the residence, the complainant did not show Maness any marks indicating he had been struck with a baseball bat.

Dog bite

A male complainant reported to Deputy McGlothlin on Sunday his son was bitten by a neighbor's dog on Sweet Road.

A report indicated the boy was riding his bicycle down Sweet Road when a small dog left the yard at a residence at 169 Sweet Road and entered the roadway, jumping up and biting the victim on his lower left leg. The victim had a small puncture wound and a scratch below his left knee on the outside of his lower left leg.

The complainant advised he contacted the owners of the dog to let them know of the incident. The female owner of the dog stated the dog had not received all its proper vaccinations from the veterinarian. McGlothlin contacted the owner of the dog and advised she have the animal quarantined at a veterinary clinic for observation and testing to see if the animal was carrying or infected with any disease that could harm the victim.

Didn't want to get caught

HECTOR -- Deputy Maness conducted a traffic stop on Highway 164 on Friday when the vehicle's passenger, a 20-year-old Hector male, ran from the vehicle before it came to a complete stop.

A report indicated the vehicle, driven by a 16-year-old Hector male, was stopped for having expired tags. The driver was later cited for no driver's license in possession, no proof of vehicle insurance and expired tags.

The driver stated to Maness he was told by the passenger who ran that he had some drugs in his possession and would run from the vehicle if they were stopped by police, according to the report. The subject was not located by authorities after fleeing from the vehicle.

Fraud

DARDANELLE -- A woman who lives on Mount Pine Drive reported Friday she was allegedly "scammed" out of $295 by suspects who were supposed to do yard work at her residence.

According to a report, the complainant advised she paid the suspects $70 to do yard work, which included trimming bushes and hauling off debris. The suspects arrived Friday to do the work, but before they were finished, she gave one of the two suspects a check for $100.

The report indicated the suspects went back to work and later advised the complainant the job was bigger than they had estimated and wanted an additional $25. At this time, she was told they had lost the $100 check. The complainant wrote another check for $125, and the suspects later left without cleaning up the debris.

The complainant advised she called the bank, but checks for $100 and $125 had already been cashed, the report indicated. She advised if the suspects would return the $295, she would not prosecute. Dardanelle police contacted the Plainview Police Department, and Chief Jim McCoy said he would watch for the suspects.

Burglary

DARDANELLE -- A man told police approximately $850 in damage and items were allegedly stolen from his 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo while it was parked at Romedio's on Friday night.

A report indicated the complainant advised he left the vehicle on the south side of the restaurant around 9 p.m. Friday, left with a friend around midnight and returned to get the vehicle Saturday afternoon. He discovered the vehicle had been driven to Veteran's Park, the driver's side window was broken out, and the car also had several scratches on top of the trunk.

The complainant stated a Sony CD player, along with about 15 CDs, were taken from the vehicle. The man stated he left the key in the ignition at the time of the incident.